The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-09-14
Points Oh Sheen.

The sheep, says the Nce England Far
.ner, the most tender, rs we'll as the most
dependent animal on the farm, is the most
neglected. 1t appears to be the general
opinion that any kind of land is good
enough for sheep pasture. Many seem
to think that the land they occupy isnot
we'll adapted to sheep because it pro-
duces good crops of grass, and is free
from stones, stumps and bushes. If they
keep any sheep it is for the purpose of
utilizing some land that is too rocky and
barren to produce paying crops that re-
quire cultivation, and which is of little
value for pasturing cattle and horses.
Few persons think it is necessary or even
advisable to improve sheep pasture.
They believe that these animals can
"pick up living" on lands where any
kinds of vegetation grow. How to keep
sheep without any cost is problem that
many persons have been trying to solve.
Volumes have been written to p:ove that
sheep will live months without water,
providing they are in region where
there are heavy de~s Every few
months some one brushes into print" to
declare that sheep will live for years
without salt. The straw of wheat, bar
ley, rye and fax is thought to be good
enough food for sheep during the win
ter. They advocate allowing them to
remain In a rocky pasture till the frost
kills and the snow covers the grass, and
then return them to this place early in the
spring for fear that the hay will not
"hold out" for the cattle and horses.
During all the year they complain that
stthe bottom has fallen outn of the wool
business.
Catching sheep is performed in va
rious ways. The old shepherds crook is
now seldom employed for this purpose,
saws the London Lige &ock Journal, and
the less the better. They will almost in
variably kick and twist sufficient to hurt
themselves. There is no better way of
catching sheep than by putting the
modern crook around its neck. When
they are caught by the hand the skin
should be Included in the handful. II
they are caught by the wool merely it is
sure to pull out, and the sheep get away.
In catching them by hand the neck is the
best place to grip, and catching them by
the ribs or the hinder parts should never
be allowed.
1t pays to provide clover hay fol
sheep, in the opinion of Colonel Curtis,
expressed in the New York Tribune.
A sheep, unlike horse or COW, cannot
subsist entirely on grain; they lose
appetite and get sick if fed too much
grain. And another thing must not be
forgotten-they must be fed evenly as to
time and quantity. When sheep have
clover hay they will not have stretches,
as the clover keeps the bowels from be-
coming constipated; and for the same
reason they do not need linsecd meal,
which they should always have if fed on
timothy hay. This does not agree with
sheep, and should always be fed in con-
nection with roots or linsecd meal, to
Offset its constipating effect.
I do not wonder, says one in Farm ana
Home, at the farmers failure as wool
grower when we consider his education
upon the subject. Sheep will live on very
rough food and endure great deal OF
exposure, and certainly they get about
all they can stand of both at the hands
of the common farmer. Upon the other
hand no animal will respond more freely
ito kind treatment and good care than